# US 8,751,497 B2 · Multi-shot scheduling system

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- Number: US 8,751,497 B2
- Document ID: US8751497B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/268,267
- Filed: 2011-10-07
- Published: 2013-04-11
- Granted: 2014-06-10
- Earliest claimed: 2011-10-07
- Assignees: Clear Channel Management Services, Inc.
- Applicants: Nigel Attwell; Chris Bean
- Inventors: Nigel Attwell; Chris Bean
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8751497B2

## CPC

- G06F 16/41: Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
- G06F 16/2228: {Indexing structures}
- G06F 16/24578: {using ranking}
- G06F 16/4387: {by the use of playlists}
- G06Q 10/1093: Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
- H04H 60/06: Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
- H04N 21/26258: {for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list (retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40)}
- H04N 21/84: Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors {(systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73)}
- H04H 60/47: for recognising genres
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04H: BROADCAST COMMUNICATION (multiplex communication H04J; pictorial communication aspects of broadcast systems H04N)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A Multi-Shot Scheduling System chooses from multiple candidate playlists of positions to select a broadcast playlist. Candidate playlists are generated based upon scoring and selecting content items for the positions through the use of index values. Various embodiments of the Multi-Shot Scheduling System can select broadcast playlists for multiple groups of content and can provide different methods of controlling scheduling performance by restricting the range of candidate playlists from which the best playlist can be selected.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
using a processing circuitry to generate a plurality of candidate playlists by selecting a content item for assignment to each position of each candidate play list, based on both:
a position index value assigned to each position in each candidate play list, and
a score associated with assignment of each content item to each position of each candidate playlist; and
using the processing circuitry to select one of the plurality of candidate playlists by:
determining, for each of the plurality of candidate play lists, an aggregate score of the content items assigned to each position of the candidate play list, and
selecting the candidate play list based on the aggregate score.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising:
generating a first candidate playlist;
generating a second candidate playlist; and
prior to generation of a next candidate playlist, discarding the second candidate play list in response to an aggregate score of the second candidate play list being less than an aggregate score of the first candidate playlist.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the selecting a content item for assignment to each position of each candidate playlist comprising:
assembling a list of the content items ranked by the score associated with assignment of each content item to the position of the candidate play list, and
selecting a content item having a content item index value matching the position index value assigned to the position.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein each position of each candidate play list is associated with a group of content items.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the group of content items comprises a particular content type.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the score associated with assignment of each content item to each position of each schedule is determined based on a demand-based goal-driven scheduling algorithm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the each position index value is less than a maximum value, the maximum value determined based on processing time.

### Claim 8

A device comprising:
a processing circuitry;
a memory operably associated with the processing circuitry, the processing circuitry, and memory operable to:
generate a plurality of candidate playlists by selecting a content item for assignment to each position of each candidate play list, based on both:
a position index value assigned to each position in each candidate play list, and
a score associated with assignment of each content item to each position of each schedule; and
select one of the plurality of candidate playlists by:
determining, for each of the plurality of candidate play lists, an aggregate score of the content items assigned to each position of the candidate playlist, and
selecting the candidate play list based on the aggregate score.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, the processing circuitry, and memory operable to:
generate a first candidate play list;
generate a second candidate play list; and
prior to generation of a next candidate playlist, discard the second candidate play list in response to an aggregate score of the second candidate playlist being less than an aggregate score of the first candidate playlist.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, the processing circuitry, and memory operable to select a content item for assignment to each position of each candidate play list by:
assembling a list of the content items ranked by the score associated with assignment of each content item to the position of the candidate play list, and
selecting a content item having a content item index value matching the position index value assigned to the position.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein each position of each candidate playlist is associated with a group of content items.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the group of content items comprises a particular content type.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The device of claim 12, wherein the score associated with assignment of each content item to each position of each schedule is determined based on a demand-based goal-driven scheduling algorithm.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the each position index value is less than a maximum value, the maximum value determined based on processing time.

### Claim 15

A method comprising:
using a processing circuitry, generating a multi-shot sequence of at least one position index value to assign to a candidate play list, wherein each position index value is assigned to a position of the candidate playlist and each position is scheduled with a content item based at least in part on the position index value assigned to each position.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the content item scheduled in the position has a content item index value matching the position index value assigned to the position.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the position index values are restricted to a predetermined range of values.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein a maximum number of position index values exceeding the predetermined range of values are permitted.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the position index values exceeding a predetermined value are assigned to a restricted position of each candidate play list.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein a sum of all position index values in the multi-shot sequence is less than a maximum value.